Sheet-metal can.



No. 797,395. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

F. M. A$SMANN.

SHEET METAL CAN APPLICATION FILED OUT. 22, 19041 ANDREW a 12mm 00., pnowouwocnmlms, msummou. a c,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

fitl-lEET lVlETAL GEN.-

n'o. menses.

npeeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed October 22,1904. Serial No. 229,609.

To (LZZ who/1'1, it Ina/y concern;

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. ASSMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing in East Grange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Cans, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to an improved sheetmetal can for packing lard, butter, paints, and other materials, inwhich the body of the can is provided with two interior score-lines near the upper edge thereof and extended into the body of the can back of the score-lines, so that when the cover is attached to a can-body and the strip portion severed therefrom by means of a suitable key the top portion can be de tached from the body and is capable of convenient use in inverted position as a slip-cover for the can-body, so as to permit the use of the can after the contents or the same are used and for other purposes; and with these ends in view the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinalter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings, illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved sheetmetal can. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing my improved sheet-metal can in the act of peeling oil the scored upper portion or strip. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the upper part of the improved can, drawn on a larger scale. Fig. t shows the upper part of the sheetanetal can with the scored portion detached and the top separated from the body of the can, and Fig. 5is a similar section show ing the detached top in inverted position in use as a slip-cover for the can.

Faimilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, a designates a can-body which is made from the blank in the usual manner and which is provided near its upper edge with a projecting tongue at, that is made integral with the blank in the well-known manner in cans of this class. The inner service ol the body-blank is provided with two parallel score-lines (t in line with the tongue, said score-lines being parallel with the upper edge of the blank and at such a dis tance from each other that by means of the tongue the ready severing of the strip from the can-body can be accomplished when the can is to be opened. Tl he can-bod y is soldered at its side edges, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and provided at its upper part with a raised circumferential bead 7) and with a circumferential depression 7/ adjacent thereto, the upper edge of said depression having a slightly less diameter than the body of the can. The raised bead and depression are formed in the can-body adjacent to the in teriorly-scored por tion below the same. The top (1 is then attached to the upper edge of the can-body by the usual t'olded seam (2 The top is formed with a depressed portion that extends slightly below the interiorly-scored portion of the body and to the upper edge of the circumferential depression I), as shown in Fig. 3, the depth of said depressed central portion of the top being greater than the width of the circumferential depression of the can-body. Vthen the topis applied in the manner described, the can is filled by inverting the same, acovcringsheet of wax-paper being preferably placed at the inside of the top. After the inverted can is lilled to the edge the bottom is applied thereto by a folded scam in the same manner as the top, the can being then closed.

When my improved can is desired to be opened, a slitted key is attached to the projecting tongue at, and the narrow strip of metal between the score'linesa." is then peeled oil from the body of the can by winding it on the key until the entire strip is detached, so that the top portion of the can can be separated bodily from the main portion of the same. The depressed portion of the top serves as asupport for severing the scored strip from the body portion, as it forms a kind of resisting portion for the same when peeling it off. The top portion (Z when detached has on its outside the narrow upper portions of the can-body, which serves as a reinforce for the top, which is then inverted and slipped in inverted position over the depression 5 until its folded edge is seated on the raised shoulder 7) of the can-body, as shown in Fig. 5. Owing to the fact that the diameter 01" the edge of the depressed portion is somewhat less than the interior diameter of the top itself, the latter when inverted slips readily over the can-body. Owing to the fact that the depth of the central depressed portion of the top is greater than the width of the circumferential depression of the can-body, said depressed portion when the top is removed and resting in inverted position upon the circumferential bead 7) lies above the edge of the can-body, and thereby permits the complete utilization of the latter.

As the contents of the can are located below the edge of the depressed portion 6, there is absolutely no loss of contents by spilling when detaching the top portion, for the reason that the lower score-line is somewhat above the depressed lower part of the top, which is important in case of paints or with lard and butter, which in warm climates assume a liquid condition. As the folded edge of the top part of the can forms the lower edge of the slip cover, no injury to the fingers from the 'raw edge produced by the scored strip is caused, and thereby a slip-cover is obtained which can be placed on the top of the can without the least danger of scratching or cutting. Owing to the reinforcing-strip at the outer edge of the slip-cover, which before formed the upper edge of the can-body proper, a rigid cover is obtained that is not liable to warp or change its shape, so as to be always in a condition to fit on the top of the can while the contents are gradually used up or afterward when the can is used for other purposes. The depressed portion of the top that extends below the scored strip forms a purchase when peeling off the scored portion, as the key will always restsomewhat against the shoulder formed thereby and facilitates the removal of the scored strip. Lastly, when a sheet of paraffin-paper is placed over the depressed portion of the top the inside surface of the same is covered up, so that when de-' taching the top and using it as a cover a perfectly clean cover is obtained, which does not require special cleaning, so as to permit its use as a slip-cover.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent 1. A sheet-metal can comprising a can-bod y provided at its upper portion with an outer circumferential bead, a circumferential depression above said head, and parallel scorelines above said depression; a tongue extending from the portion of the body bounded by said score-lines, and a top folded onto the upper edge of said can-body and provided with a depressed central portion, the interior diameter of the upper portion of said top being greater than the diameter of thecan at the lower score-line, and the folded portion of said top being of such a diameter as to be retained by said exterior head when said top is removed and inverted.

2. A sheet-metal can, comprising a can-body provided at its upper portion with an outer circumferential bead, a circumferential depression above said head, and two score-lines above said depression; a tongue extending from the portion of the body bounded by said score-lines, and a top folded onto the upper edge of said body and provided with a depressed central portion of greater depth than the distance from the lower score-line to said bead, the interior diameter of the upper portion of said top being greater than the diameter of the can at the lower score-line, and the folded portion of said top being of approximately the diameter of said exterior bead.

3. A sheet-metal can, comprising a can-body provided at its upper portion with an outer circumferential head, a circumferential de pression above and immediately adjacent said bead, and two parallel score-lines above said depression, a tongue extending from the portion of the can-body bounded by said scorelines, and a top folded onto the upper edge of said can-body and provided with a depressed central portion of greater depth than the depression of the can-body, the interior diameter of the upper portion of said top being greater than the diameter of the lower scoreline, and the folded portion of said top being adapted to be retained by said exterior bead when said top is used in inverted position as a slip-cover.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK M. ASSMANN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, HENRY J. SUHRBIER. 

